Man City’s 11th-hour ‘talks’ with Sky Sports emerge before Liverpool clash amid 115 charges fallout

City face Liverpool on Sunday in what is their first competitive fixture since the 115 charges verdict.

Manchester City reportedly contacted Sky Sports ahead of an interview with star striker Erling Haaland before Sunday's Premier League clash against Liverpool – with their 115 charges verdict on the agenda.

City will take on Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon in what is their first competitive fixture since it was announced that they had been found guilty of all serious breaches relating to Premier League financial rules. The club maintain their innocence and submitted an appeal on Friday, October 2.

Various players and former players have spoken out about the verdict and what it could mean for City's future, including Haaland when he sat down for an interview with Sky Sports earlier this week.

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According to the Daily Mail, City got in touch with the Premier League broadcaster 'in the days' before the Liverpool fixture to discuss 'what might be appropriate to ask' Haaland during his pre-match, sit-down interview and 'how that was framed'.

It is claimed that there is 'an understandable feeling within the club that footballers should not present the face' of the club's response to the 115 charges verdict.

Similar discussions are said to have been held with Norwegian TV station Viaplay, with Haaland having been on international duty at the time that the verdict became official in September.

SPORTbible have contacted Manchester City for comment.

From the player's perspectives, there is little they can say, or would be willing to say, about the matter while the appeal process is ongoing – and City will undoubtedly be keen not to put pressure on their players.

But in the absence of City's higher-ups putting themselves forward to answer questions, it is inevitably the players and manager Enzo Maresca that face them instead.

But that hasn't stopped former players from speaking out. Ex-City captain Kyle Walker, who now plays for and captains Championship side Burnley, said earlier this week: "It's something we don't want to talk about because we want to be looked upon as winning them trophies, winning them the right way. It's very difficult, because we worked very hard for them."

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Haaland did address the guilty verdict during his Sky Sports interview, telling City fans to 'stick together' and 'stay positive'.

"No matter what happens in life, we always have a smile," he said. "So we have to stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games and try to enjoy the situation and win the game.

"We have to stick together; we have to spread the love to each other. So yeah: stick together, enjoy the ride and smile.

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"I care a lot about the city, I have to say. I care a lot about the fans because I'm a fan myself, and I feel with them as well. My mother as well as my father, they lived here for 10 years. They lived in Nottingham and Leeds. They never lived in Manchester, but obviously my father trained over at Carrington [where City's former training facility was based] every day.

"I spent my first four years here, my brother nine and my sister six, so it's a special place for us."

Topics: Man City, Liverpool, Erling Haaland, Premier League

Ryan is a Journalist for SPORTbible who specialises in football, Formula 1, cricket and darts coverage. As a lifelong Preston North End fan, he's sadly still waiting to watch his team play in the Premier League. He has previously written for GiveMeSport, SPORF and the Lancashire Post.

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